UC Irvine. (2023, June 12). Human caused climate change to balance for increase in California wildfires. Retrieved from https://news.uci.edu/2023/06/12/human-caused-climate-change-to-blame-for-increase-in-californias-wildfires/

Scientists from UC Irvine conducted a study, finding that nearly all the recent summer wildfires were caused by human caused climate change. They modeled past natural wildfire activity and then factored in human climate change effects to predict future forest burn areas. Scientific evidence points to the role of anthropogenic factors, such as fossil fuel emissions, in exacerbating these fire-prone conditions, emphasizing the urgent need for climate action to halt the escalating risks for deadly wildfires in California. The article goes on to discuss that the average summer burn area in forests in northern and central California has increased fivefold between 1996 and 2021 compared to between 1971 and 1995, pointing straight to human’s to mitigate these seemingly yearly disasters.

Wildfires are obviously bad for the communities directly affected however in addition the threat of wildfires causes insurance rates to rise which impacts everyone in the state. As dejecting as these wildfires every year canceling sports or work throughout California are, this study does point to some hope for the future. As outlined, if wildfires are caused by humans then humans can drastically limit the spread by limiting their overall footprint. The scientists in this study suggest reducing carbon emissions, pursuing sustainable transportation and sustainable energy production can lead to a less deadly impact of wildfires in California.

Cal Poly News. (2023, August 9). How Does Climate Change Impact California Ocean Temperatures? Retrieved from https://www.calpoly.edu/news/how-does-climate-change-impact-california-ocean-temperatures-cal-poly-study-investigates

A team at Cal Poly explored how climate change impacts ocean temperatures off California’s central coast. This research underscores the significance of understanding climate-ocean interactions and their ecological consequences. They found that certain environmental conditions such as the lack of upwelling leads to an enhanced risk for extreme marine heat waves and cold spells, subsequently making El Nino much more frequent and intense. As the articles details, through these El Nino events, both water and atmospheric temperatures rise rapidly, servelry damaging immediate surrounding ecosystems. The warmer water temperatures stress marine life and make them more vulnerable to disease. Through data analysis, the Cal Poly researchers discovered that they are able to predict these extreme heat and cold spells by tracking both climate change models and upwelling.

This article similarly points to the economic impact of climate change on California. As the gradual, slow process of climate change commonly appears throughout the news today, this article shed light on the extreme side of climate change. I was surprised by the close correlation between ocean dynamics and extreme weather patterns throughout California. The study’s findings emphasize the urgency of addressing climate change, leaving me with a heightened awareness of the relationship between human activity, ocean patterns and weather fronts.

Harvey, C. (2023, August 2). California Waves Have Growth a Foot Taller because of Climate Change. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/california-waves-have-grown-a-foot-taller-because-of-climate-change/

The study, which was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans, found that average winter wave height has increased by roughly one foot since 1970. Through his usage of waves’ seismic signals, scientist Peter Bromirski discovered that this uptick in wave size directly correlates with global warming’s rapid acceleration. Storms that produce waves measuring 13 feet high and taller have become more common, with twice as many of these events occurring between 1996 and 2016 as they did between 1949 and 1969.

This study discusses the interconnected processes of sea levels and ocean temperatures, its effects on wave dynamics, and the subsequent implications for coastal communities in California. The increase in wave height could make beaches more vulnerable to erosion and would make it more dangerous for people to surf and swim in the ocean. This study also has economic impact because the increase in wave height could contribute to higher real estate insurance rates and possibly would call for the  re-evaluation of the value of many seaside properties. Increase in wave height, combined with other risks from climate change, poses significant threat to coastal communities. While coastal protection measures such as seawalls are possible, those also cost significant money rather than fixing the problem, it simply delays it.

Conybeare, W. (2023, August 4). California partnering with Chinese province to fight climate change. Retrieved August 3, 2023 from https://ktla.com/news/california/california-partnering-with-chinese-province-to-fight-climate-change/

This article is a news article from a press release from the Governor’s office about how California is partnering with the Chinese Province of Hainan to fight climate change. Both partners committed to cutting air pollution, developing carbon neutrality plans, advancing clean energy, and accelerating zero emission vehicles. In a quote from Governor Newsome, he outlined that despite our distance, both nations, although vastly different, are striving to leave this planet better than we found it.

Hainan is one of the smallest provinces in China and it’s unclear if the Governor has the legal authority to make a deal like this given the tension between the two counties. This is likely an announcement to help Newsom politically and so China can show good efforts but nothing is likely to come out of this agreement as no direct plan of action was outlined. As the article explores a collaborative effort between two regions working to address the global environmental impact of climate change, the agreement is not legally binding so either side could back out at any time without penalty. California previously announced similar agreements with Canada, New Zealand, and Japan. California itself is one of the world’s largest economies and this pact with Hainan shows that California has the economic power to advance climate change with other countries. It also shows the political interest in this issue such that it got the Governor’s attention. He can now be seen on the world stage helping climate change. While very symbolic, there is value in keeping the issue at the forefront in the media and his political agenda.

Undeveloped countries make up 13% of the world population and 40% of the world’s poorest people which makes them vulnerable to climate change. Some countries of the world have meetings every few months to discuss the problems going on. Talk about how climate change is affecting the environment. For example, in Tunisia the fishermen are not able to catch as many fish because they are dying. By 2030 up to 118 million Africans will be exposed to drought, flooding and extreme heat. Ocean is our greatest ally, creates 50% of Earth’s oxygen and absorbs 25% of the Earth’s carbon emissions.

 This relates to environmental science because it is about the major countries of the world discussing what is happening to the environment. I think these meetings are a big step in the right direction because it shows that the countries are willing to work together and they know if they don’t it will just keep getting worse. I think this organization is a good start, but more can be done such as getting more countries involved, especially the poor ones and to put large sums of money together to find a valuable solution. Finding a solution to climate change should not be kept within one country and should be shared all across the world no matter what it may cost because the most important problem to solve is climate change. 

Climate change is the greatest threat the world has ever faced and the poor countries are suffering the most. While rich countries are producing all of the greenhouse gasses they also are able to pay for things that give them the tools to survive, but in poor countries there is nothing to combat global warming and because of it these poor countries are being deprived of their necessities. Also these countries do not have a say in the matter because they are not wealthy enough to help stop climate change so their futures are being decided for them by people who don’t know the real problems going on within the country. 

This topic relates to environmental science because global warming is changing the climate. This change to the climate is due to the amount of greenhouse gasses rich countries produce. These countries have the tools and the money to keep their environment healthy. While poor countries are left to suffer, because they do not have any resources to help with climate, so there ecosystem is dying. I think because climate change affects every country all countries should try and work together despite their differences. The system now excludes the poor countries because they don’t have the money to make a real change, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t still hurting and because this I think that poor countries should be able to have a say.

Since 1993 the sea level has doubled this is due to the emissions of greenhouse gasses. Countries in the middle east such as Sharm-El-Sheikh and Egypt. The global mean temperature is up 1.15 celsius compared to the pre industrial stage. In Pakistan there have been terrible floods and in Africa there have been multiple spells of droughts. Over the past 20 years the alps have lost 3 to 4 meters of depth. This extreme weather has caused everyone to have savings prepared if there is a natural disaster.

This topic relates to environmental science because it is saying that due to rising temperatures Earth’s environment is changing. Even though Earth has always been changing (ex: Pangia), this change is rapid and that is happening because of humans. Humans are polluting the Earth with their production and use of fossil fuels. They are causing the ocean to rise and droughts and floods to increase. For this reason humans need to find a way to produce clean sustainable energy or else the Earth will be unable to inhabit humans.

Over recent years China has been one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gasses and because of this their contribution towards stopping global warming is necessary. The rising climate poses a significant threat to China’s long term growth due to their low level cities that could be severely affected by the rising sea-levels. China’s dependency on fossil fuels makes it hard for them to switch to clean energy because it will restructure their whole economy.

My opinion on China and its production of greenhouse gasses is that it needs to stop for China’s sake and the world. If the whole world and China especially continue producing this much pollution the sea levels will continue to rise. Due to China’s low alleviation, some cities are in danger of being destroyed by the water. This is why I think China should take initiative and fix the problem. This is an environmental science problem because global warming is affecting the environment. Even though it may be difficult to switch to clean energy it is still worth it because if we do not make a change it will continue to get worse.